


Sick

by Haru D Nae (Anaelita)



Series: Around the Grand Line [15]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Buggy gets sick, Canon Compliant, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Inspired By Tumblr, M/M, Pre-Canon, Roger gets angry, Shanks gets worried, Teenagers sailing with the Pirate King, and everything will be alright, but Crocus is a good doctor, kinda but not really angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-23 01:20:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11392377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anaelita/pseuds/Haru%20D%20Nae
Summary: Buggy gets sick after a battle.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writer's block is gone, yay ! Here's the longest fic in this series yet :D

Being on the Pirate King's crew isn't all fun and games. They regularly get attacked by the Marine or wannabe-bad guys who always get defeated in the end, but the infirmary often has a waiting line after a battle. Today's last patient is Buggy.

Crocus sighs at the blue-haired boy's entrance. "Couldn't stay out of trouble either, huh ? I treated Shanks earlier for a nasty cut in the shoulder. One of this days he's going to lose a limb, I swear."

Buggy grunts but sits on the examination table. " _My_ cut isn't that bad. I dodged it but the guy just reached my forehead", he explains while removing his beanie hat.

The doctor turns to him and raises a eyebrow, "Yeah, more like your forehead and everything down your temple, you're lucky it only looks superficial." Frowning, he adds, "And look at your jaw, someone hit you good here too."

"That one's out for good", the cabin boy spits, scowling.

Crocus huffs, "Glad to know it. Now, stay still so I can examine you properly. It's probably not that bad but I don't want to risk an infection or anything."

Sighing, Buggy lets the older man clean the wounds, check his bones here and there to make sure none's broken, remove a shard or two from his hands – he doesn't even remember getting them there – and finally checking on the rest of his body just in case the boy would have forgone telling him about any other injury.

"Alright, I don't see anything wrong with your wounds and they're not that deep indeed so I'll just disinfect them and you'll be free, as long as you see me once a day to replace your bandages. We good, kid ?"

The blue-haired boy nods, "Sounds fine. Thanks, doc."

Crocus smiles and finishes his work, dismissing Buggy as he's done to clean the infirmary and proceed to a well deserved warm shower before dinner.

* * *

 

The day after when Buggy's back to the infirmary, he doesn't look properly rested but that's to be expected, yesterday's battle took its toll on everyone.

Crocus greets him with a smile. "Hey kid, how are you feeling today ?"

"It hurts like hell", the boy grunts.

The doctor frowns, "Oh ? Come here, I'll see those wounds."

Buggy executes himself, groaning when Crocus directs the light at him.

"Sensitive ?" the doctor asks, redirecting the light so as not to blind the young boy.

"Yeah, I feel like shit."

"No swearing."

Buggy ducks his head a little. "I feel awful. Really awful."

"Better. Stay still while I look at your head."

The examination reveals nothing unusual, the wounds seemingly healing properly, so Crocus disinfects them again just in case, and places new bandages around Buggy's forehead and on his cheek.

"So, doc ? What's wrong with me ?"

"I don't see anything unusual with your wounds so the problem lies elsewhere. Tell me what are the symptoms exactly ?"

"Dunno, my head feels heavy and the light is too bright. Kinda like when I drank but I didn't this time. Also it hurts everywhere, but just a little, but it's really annoying."

The ship's doctor hums. "Muscle soreness and the headache could be just the aftermath of the battle but I have a doubt about the photosensitivity. Tonight you go to sleep early and drink a lot of water, if you don't feel better tomorrow I may have to run some tests on you."

"I don't like tests", Buggy grunts.

"I know but I'll have to, don't want to risk you getting sick for real, now do we ?"

The cabin boy huffs, and leaves the examination table, making his way out. When his hand reaches the handle, he mumbles, "Alright, thanks, doc."

Crocus sighs, hoping he won't have to wrestle Buggy in order to take blood samples if need be.


	2. Chapter 2

Nobody will have to wrestle anyone though, as Buggy doesn't even have enough force to drag himself to the infirmary on the following morning. Rayleigh holds him unconscious in his arms, accompanied by a very worried Shanks who opens the door for him to enter.

Crocus immediately raises to his feet, helping the Dark King install the cabin boy on the bed at the back of the infirmary. "What's wrong ?"

"No idea. Can you check him ?"

"Of course."

Rayleigh stands back, humming. "I'll go tell Roger about him. Shanks, you stay here so Crocus can have all the information he needs, and you come and get us if there's anything wrong."

Shanks quickly sits on a chair, mumbling, "I wasn't going to leave anyway."

With a soft smile, Rayleigh leaves.

Crocus takes Buggy's temperature then removes his bandages, and to his unpleasant surprise the wounds are in worse state than they were the day before. The edges of the cut are red and puffed, it almost looks infected, they shouldn't be, unless-

"What's wrong, doc ?"

Crocus raises his head, of course the kid saw him frowning so he's worried. "Tell me more about last night."

"Well we went to bed, he said he had to drink water so he kept a large glass beside the bed but everything was alright. I woke up at night to go to the toilet, and when I was back I noticed Buggy was agitated in his sleep, so I went to him and he was feverish and mumbling incoherent stuff."

The doctor hums thoughtfully. "So it needed more than a day to incubate, it may be an infection but I'll need samples to be sure. And he didn't wake up this morning ?"

"No, his fever looked worse, and when I tried to wake him up he talked a bit but fell back asleep, so I called Rayleigh and we brought him here. Is he going to be okay ?"

"Not until I know for sure what's going on", Crocus answers, before getting to a cabinet containing the necessary supplies for blood sampling. "Yesterday it was soreness and photosensitivity, the latter reminds me of a rare poison someone told me about at Twin Cape but it'd be odd..."

"Poison ? How ?"

"I'm not sure. It's tricky because depending on the nature of the poison, you may know what it is only when it's too late... which is what I'm trying to avoid. While I take some samples, you go tell Captain Roger and Rayleigh that we might need to restock at an island if I don't have all the medical supplies on board."

Shanks is visibly shaken but nods his agreement and leaves to deliver the news.

Crocus gets his supplies ready, collects a few samples and brings them to the adjoining laboratory, already starting to run his tests, wondering how on Earth one of his crew could have been poisoned unnoticedly by him, and determined to cure the poor boy from whatever dragged him into slumber.


	3. Chapter 3

When Shanks comes back a while later, it's with Roger and Rayleigh, both sporting the same serious look.

The Captain speaks first. "What do you have, doc ?"

Crocus's head perks out of the laboratory. "Not much. I still need a few minutes to run my tests but I already know it's not the flu or any sickness with similar symptoms."

"Poison it is, then", Rayleigh mutters as the doctor gets back to his tests.

Shanks walks to the bed where Buggy lies, reaching out for his friend's hand and holding it tight. "Just tell me he'll get better."

Crocus sighs. "Told you kiddo, I can't until I know for sure what's- Oh."

Roger and Rayleigh exchange a look, the latter asking after a fleeting second, "Found something ?"

There is a bit of rustling noise and glass clinking before the doctor gets out of the lab, holding a sealed vial and a book. The former is showed around before Crocus explains, "This is the reaction I hoped wouldn't happen. I wasn't sure because the symptoms were so random but I'm glad I tried. We'll need to stop by the next island to get me some supplies."

Shanks presses, still near Buggy, "So what's going on ?"

"The blade Buggy's been cut with was coated with a poison that can be found in certain species of Sea Kings. The fever only started this night because the poison needs time to reach the nervous system but once it's there it's only a matter of time before-"

Roger interrupts him, "We'll change course so you can have whatever you need to treat him. What can you do in the meantime ?"

Crocus sighs. "Manage the fever and give him painkillers, I guess, but not much more. I can make the remedy once I have the correct ingredients, but I'm not sure about the interactions with other medicines..."

"Better safe than sorry. I'll go tell everyone we're changing course right now so we don't waste time", Rayleigh says as he leaves.

"Shanks, I need you to go to the galley and bring me some ice, I need to make some packs to lower the fever."

The redhead immediately executes himself, leaving the doctor and his Captain alone.

"Sea King poison, huh ?" Roger inquires.

"Yeah, this one's pretty rare and native to the North Blue, the last crew we fought really were annoying but this..."

The Pirate King dangerously smiles. "Annoying ? They're dead."

Crocus sighs, wondering why he's still surprised by his Captain's temper, and walks to his cabinet to retrieve some painkillers.

Roger leaves without a word – but with no doubt plotting his revenge.

Shanks comes back just when the doctor's done with giving Buggy his medication, and helps him put the ice in a bag to cover the poisoned boy's head. Then he sits besides him and states, "I'll stay here until he gets better."

Crocus smiles, "And you would even if I forbad you to, right ?"

The redhead vigorously nods, "Of course !"

The doctor sighs. "Alright, I'll have someone bring you your meals, but you should go rest in your cabin at night, okay ?"

"Don't wanna", the teen pouts.

Crocus raises an eyebrow. "Are we good ?"

A grunt, then a mumbled, "We're good."

The older man sighs – he seems to be doing that an awful lot lately – and leaves the infirmary.

Shanks watches Buggy frowning and squirming, though a lot less now that he has ice upon his head. He wonders how much time it'll take for him to get better. He hopes they'll get to an island soon enough. He doesn't like seeing his friend sick and kind of like in a coma, it really worries him and he needs to be here in case something happens, so he can tell Captain and the others. His own cut at the shoulder doesn't feel that bad when he sees Buggy suffering like that. He runs a hand through Buggy's blue hair – for once they're not hidden under his hat – and quietly repeats, "It's okay, you're gonna be okay", unsure if he's doing it to convince Buggy or himself.

Later in the day Rayleigh brings him his lunch tray, informing him Crocus allowed him to eat at his desk as long as he cleans everything afterwards. He also brought a book so he doesn't get bored – Buggy's book from last time with the story about sky islands, perfect pick.

Shanks spends the afternoon reading and watching after his blue-haired friend, until dinner time when Crocus brings another tray of food and sends him to his cabin for the night after he finished his meal.


	4. Chapter 4

Shanks enters the infirmary at the break of dawn, unable to get back to sleep after a troubled night – he suspects the lack of a familiar presence in the bottom bunk bed didn't help at all.

There he finds Crocus, checking Buggy's wounds and fever. "Awake already, kid ?"

"Yeah, I guess", the redhead answers, still rubbing his eyes. "How's he doing ?"

"The fever's gone down a little but I'm not satisfied. Captain said yesterday we should reach an island soon, and I'll get to the lab as soon as I have everything to cure him. Until then there's nothing more I can do. You'll watch him today too, I suppose ?"

Shanks nods and gets back to his place from the day before, namely on a chair next to Buggy, book conveniently forgotten near its owner the night before.

Crocus leaves when he's done with his checkup.

A few minutes later a crewmate brings in Shanks's breakfast and news that the next island is only a couple hours away, to the cabin boy's great appreciation.

Shanks starts reading after his meal, trying to get his mind off of his friend's state.

At some point he hears some of the crew getting ready to go ashore, a little before lunch.

Crocus comes back when Shanks starts to doze off, tired from the short night and worries about his friend. He strolls towards the lab, nodding at the redhead who wordlessly understands the doctor needs quiet in order to work well and fast, then directly starts making the cure for the poison.

A while later, mid-afternoon, the promised cure is ready and Shanks watches with a newfound hope as Crocus injects the precious medicine in Buggy's arm. "What now, doc ?"

"We wait", he answers, "Captain wants to go on a chase but not while Buggy's still sick." Smiling, he adds, "You can stay here in the meantime, tell us when he wakes up. He should be alright now, just let the medicine work and he'll be good as new in a day or two." Then he leaves.

The teen finishes reading his book, hoping for his friend to wake up soon, but falls asleep a little before dinner.

* * *

 

Buggy blearily opens an eye. His head hurts but not as much as last time he went to sleep. He feels disoriented and doesn't recognize the room he's in right away. There's ice on his head, it's cold but it feels good, he must have had a fever... so, he's probably in the infirmary.

Blinking, he confirms his guess about the place, and notices Shanks next to him, lightly snoring. _Why is he here ? He doesn't have to. It's nice though._

Unbeknownst to the two cabin boys, Roger and Rayleigh who happened to be passing by, are watching behind the infirmary's window, smiling. Buggy will be fine, and tomorrow they're going on a raid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And, for those who read the "Inspired by Tumblr" tag, here's the [picture](http://whentheyart.tumblr.com/post/141869961061/%E3%81%97%E3%82%83%E3%82%93%E3%81%B0%E3%81%8E%E8%A9%B0%E3%82%81%E3%81%BE%E3%81%97%E3%81%9F-by-%E3%82%89%E3%82%8C%E3%81%A3%E3%81%A8-permission-to-reprint-this-was) that fits the last paragraph :)


End file.
